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Time for a cocktail? Instead of heading to the local watering hole, just kick back and relax at home at your very own bar.

More than just a novelty, the home bar is the focal point for those who like to entertain family and friends.

That’s why Traci Neiman had a bar built into her 8,000-square-foot custom house in The Dominion.

Although her and her family just recently moved into the house, she plans to host office parties and wine tastings.

When designing her home, Neiman said she decided to design an entertainment space that opens up to an outdoor lounge and pool.

Within that entertainment space is the bar, which boasts an about 10-foot-long countertop made of vanilla onyx. The bar’s cherry wood cabinets allow for adequate storage space and also house an icemaker, refrigerator, sink and shelving, she said.

She admits her family doesn’t drink alcohol a lot and that the majority of the time the bar is stocked with sodas, juices and other snacks for her five kids.

“Its nice to have the bar space more for entertainment purposes. As far as an everyday-living type of thing, it’s not a big deal.

But for the style of this home, we need a place for margaritas and other drinks for adult parties. It’s not like we drink a lot. It’s just kind of for entertainment. The bar suite is great for parties and as a beverage center for our family.”

Although the term bar conjures up thoughts about alcohol, custom home builder Kyle Lindsey said that many times the watering hole is situated in a family area where it’s used more as a mini kitchen.

“It’s not all about alcohol,” said Lindsey, who built Neiman’s home. “It’s what the majority of clients will use it for, to serve alcohol to guests whether it’s wine, liquor or beer. But from a family perspective, or if you don’t drink, it can be used for sodas, juices and popcorn.”

The addition of a bar inside the home isn’t anything new when it comes to custom homes, said Adam Sanchez, president of Diamante Homes.

Throughout the years, he has noticed that home bars have morphed from smaller spots with a counter, sink and storage to more elaborate areas that have decorative hardware, walk-in wine rooms and beer taps.

When deciding placement within the home, Sanchez said that the bar’s size and amenities usually determine where it will be situated. Smaller bars sometimes will be placed near the kitchen, while larger spaces will be placed away from bedrooms.

“You want the bar somewhere that’s convenient for the use but not inconvenient for other areas that eventually need quiet,” Sanchez said.
In higher-end homes, a dedicated space for entertainment such as a bar is expected.

“It’s almost a prerequisite,” said Lindsey. Plus, he added, amenities such as a bar help boost most any home’s resale value.

When it comes to remodeling projects, interior designer Toi Talasek said that homeowners are integrating wet bars into recreational spaces, man caves or multifunctional family spaces. While her company has designed home lounge spaces that resemble a hotel lobby bar, a classic wet bar can be built on the cheap by using inexpensive materials such as laminate countertops, a base cabinet and a small drop-in sink, said Talasek, co-founder of Class, Covers & Colors Interior Design.

Another way to get around the high price tag associated with a built-in bar is to repurpose a piece of furniture, said Gabriel Galindo, owner of Old Is Better Than New, an antique shop in San Antonio.

“To repurpose a vintage piece will create a unique, different look,” he said.

He has seen people repurpose armoires, desks, cabinets and dressers for use as a bar. He also is working on a project where he will use antique doors to create the base for a bar, he said.

Inside the home isn’t the only place for a watering hole, said Brent Frenchak, president of San Antonio-based Texas Construction Remodeling Decks Management. Frenchak’s company specializes in building outdoor spaces and more people are asking to include bars, he said.

Outdoor bars can start at about $1,200 and cost upwards of $15,000 for a setup that includes nearly 20 feet of counter space, storage, beer taps, icemakers, refrigerators, sinks and a barbecue grill.

If the homeowner already has an outdoor space and wants to add a bar, its size and amenities have to be determined to ensure the patio or deck can accommodate the weight of the addition, Frenchak said. After the bar addition is complete it’s hard to pull the homeowner back inside, he said.